276 TEA AND PRESERVED FRUITS. Chap. XIII. 



ditary, and non-contagious; but, while working with this 

 case, something very like it was transplanted to the hands 

 of Drs. Kirk and Livingstone, and was cured only by the 

 liberal use of the caustic. The Chiefs health and spirits 

 became better, as the skin became thinner, and the de- 

 formity of face disappeared. The aged doctress, naturally 

 wishing to obtain some credit for the improvement, began 

 secretly to superadd her remedies, which consisted of scrap- 

 ing the diseased skin, and rubbing it with an astringent 

 bark in powder. She desisted on receiving a hint from Ma- 

 mire, that perhaps the medicine of the white doctors and the 

 medicine of the black doctors might not work well together. 



It was a time of great scarcity and hunger, but Sekeletu 

 treated us hospitably, preparing tea for us at every visit we 

 paid him. With the tea we had excellent American biscuit 

 and preserved fruits, which had been brought to him all the 

 way from Benguela. The fruits he most relished were those 

 preserved in their own juices; plums, apples, pears, straw- 

 berries, and peaches, which we have seen only among Portu- 

 guese and Spaniards. It made us anxious to plant the fruit- 

 tree seeds we had brought, and all were pleased with the idea 

 of having these same fruits in their own country. 



Mokele, the headman of Sesheke, and Sebituane's sister, 

 Manchunyane, were ordered to provide us with food, as Se- 

 keletu's wives, to whom this duty properly belonged, were 

 at Linyanti. We found a black trader from the West Coast, 

 and some Griqua traders from the South, both in search of 

 ivory. Ivory is dear at Sesheke ; but cheaper in the Batoka 

 country, from Sinamane's to the Kafue, than anywhere else. 

 The trader from Benguela took orders for goods for his next 

 year's trip, and offered to bring tea, coffee, and sugar at cent, 

 per cent, prices. As, in consequence of a hint formerly 



